


Grin and Beret It

by overworkedunderwhelmed



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Cursed Beret, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Identity Reveal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:08:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25076638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/overworkedunderwhelmed/pseuds/overworkedunderwhelmed
Summary: Sometimes, things make you just want to shout.Of course, then even the most oblivious might notice.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 30
Kudos: 124





	Grin and Beret It

**Author's Note:**

> This one is currently unbetaed. I've done my best thus far, but it has been a particularly long week and I've probably missed a few things.
> 
> I hope to have it edited later when my beta has more free time.

Yawning as he exited the sedan, Adrien balanced his bag on his shoulder. It had been an early morning of surprise photo shoots… and a far longer night before that.

When the Akuma appeared well after he had already climbed into bed, he knew that getting a full night’s sleep was unlikely.

Only, he had no idea just how right he would be

Ducking back down as he closed the door, Adrien waved the Gorilla off. “I’ll see you this afternoon.” His gaze chased the car until he could no longer see it — until it could no longer see him.

It was only then that he knew he was safe, reaching down into the bag, jostling Plagg from a comfortable cat nap.

“Hey,” Plagg groused, unceremoniously roused from his makeshift bed. “What’s the big idea?”

“Oh, I’m sure you remember.“ Adrien smirked, pulling the fabric free and placing it neatly atop his head. “It’s the one we agreed on last night.”

With a matching grin, Plagg ducked back down into the bag.

Adrien glanced down at his watch. There were still a few minutes to spare before classes would start, and he would need every single one to get his head in order. 

Slowly, Adrien trudged towards his locker to drop off his fencing gear. His lips pressed into a thin line, as he mentally quieted the rising tide of butterflies that danced in his gut.

After playing the hero so long, it was easy to put on a brave face, but it was far harder to feel quite so brave himself. Especially with so much on the line.

When he had raced off to battle last night, he never suspected he might puzzle out just who was hiding behind Ladybug’s mask. In fact he would not even have suspected if he hadn’t heard Marinette talking yesterday. If had hadn’t heard those exact same words from Ladybug’s lips only a few short hours later, he might still be none the wiser, even now.

_“Why can’t I ever get a break?”_

It was a feeling he understood all too well. They were words he had spoken often enough himself. He knew from experience just how close Ladybug had lingered to that breaking point. He was just glad he was there to help when she had.

It just never occurred to him that Marinette was there, too. 

Last night, he had lain in his bed for hours, mentally matching this memories of conversations and chat history and class schedules...and all the other times he recalled spotting Marinette also rushing off in another direction than the rest of the class when the Akuma would pop up in the middle of the school day. He was thoroughly baffled that he had missed it. But somehow, observant as Marinette was, she had missed him, too.

Still, Adrien wasn’t exactly inclined to tell her to her face, not after months of Plagg’s dire warnings and Ladybug herself had stated time and time again that she didn’t want him to know.

But now?

Ladybug was also Guardian, too. That only made it more important that she knew he suspected. She had already been forced to make some slight exceptions. It had been hard enough for her to find new people she trusted with the other fifteen Kwami, especially after Chloe’s thoughtless actions ensured some of the people they both trusted most were now vulnerable.

It was even more critical now that his Lady knew she could trust and rely on him, too. That she didn’t need to worry about him being turned or coerced.

In the end, he had only had one thing to cling to that had finally let him rest. 

This beret… the one she had gone out of her way to deliver. 

Everything made a strange sort of sense...but Ladybug — Marinette — had gone out of her way not to take credit. Once or twice upon a time, he had been lucky enough to see her designs. Not each and every one was perfect — but the details and the care it had clearly been made with…

He had seen the sort of clothes she could make. He had even worn one of her berets. It was only more shocking that he hadn’t thought of the possibility earlier…

Especially considering he had already told Marinette directly that she was their every day Ladybug.

A fact that was clearly true for him, over and over...

Adrien halted at the door, hand settling uncertainly on the door knob.

His smile softened as he spotted her from the window, nose scrunched up slightly and tip of her tongue out in decided focus as she dutifully took notes. 

All of those vague little comments that Alya made that he hadn’t quite understood. It made him wonder if that wasn’t the first time Marinette had done that sort of thing either.

Even Kagami had commented time and time again on the small kindness that Marinette had done for everyone. Besides, Marinette was her friend, too. 

He had tossed and turned into the early morning hours, wondering just how oblivious had he been?

When all along, he had been so, so certain that Marinette hadn’t thought much of him. He was the only one she hadn’t given a Birthday gift to.

Instead, she had gone out of her way to make him a gift and to see it was delivered by his favorite super heroine.

The odd, rambling excuse Ladybug had made at the time must have just been because she felt a little awkward that his birthday present had come so late...

Twisting the knob, Adrien beamed blissfully. Squaring his shoulders, he stood tall, walking into the classroom to take his seat.

As he took the few short steps inside, he didn’t fail to notice how Nino’s eyes had widened. Alya kept not-so-secretly glancing back at Marinette… who was staring up at him in growing horror.

Above the growing rumble of whispers as he sat down in his seat, Rose gushed aloud. “That hat is adorable, Adrien!”

His ears warmed over the intense scrutiny — particularly from the seat just behind his.

Clearly, everyone else had been aware who had made that hat.

Chloe scoffed. Gaping at him in disgust. “That thing is utterly ridiculous. Take it off this instant.”

Well, _most_ everyone.

He frowned, turning slowly around in his chair. His gaze pointedly shifted to the delightfully pink blush burning across Marinette’s cheeks, rendering her eyes impossibly more blue. “Your designs are amazing. It isn’t _that_ bad, is it?”

Alya kicked her leg beneath the desk, but eventually Marinette found her voice. “Well, your father isn’t likely to approve.”

He smiled ruefully. “That wouldn’t be anything new…”

Marinette nibbled at her lip, clearly — diplomatically — trying to tread the waters carefully. “But you should be able to wear whatever you like.”

He smiled softly, glancing up at the edge of the fabric . “Someone spent a lot of time and effort making this. I would hate to let that go to waste.”

The soft yelp that slipped Marinette’s lips as more of a squeak was thoroughly endearing to him. 

In fact, if Miss Bustier hadn’t entered, forcing him to turn around and prepare for the lesson, he would have happily talked to her like that all day. 

“Dude,” Nino breathed, hastily glancing back at the seat behind them. 

In response, Adrien plastered on the most placid, model-ready smile he could muster. He couldn’t look back again or he would no doubt keep peering back for the whole of the school day.

If not for the whole year.

Maybe Marinette might not love him the way that he loved her… but he clearly mattered to her. She wouldn’t have taken the trouble otherwise.

And _that_ gave him more hope than he’d ever dreamed possible.


End file.
